Week 2: Into the Trenches

We had a special "Math Decade" at school this week...I snapped a few photos.

So...last week mostly consisted of making quarterly plans for my English classes.  *whew* Those are over.  Unfortunately, I don't think they were that good, so...we'll see how that goes.   I also have to translate at least 50 class plans into Russian.  That's gonna be fun...maybe Friday...

The shapes and colors were supposed to stand for something...

 I did also get to visit two children's homes.  At the first one the idea was to play games...with a ten to twenty 5-10 year old boys...only, after we started playing rat slap I found out that we weren't allowed to use playing cards...and we weren't allowed to run...and we weren't allowed to shout.  And outside was icy and dark.  So...basically...we tried to play ninja silently, but there was still lots of thumping and yelling of course.  They've been asking about me, so I guess I'll go back this week, although...maybe I should buy some Uno cards or something...and play rat slap with those.  :)  (I know it's a cultural/associative thing, but it's a really hard thing for someone who played cards every single day of high school, who has never gambled, to figure out why cards are evil...)

The second home is literally two houses away, and there I am tutoring two Christinas in English, the plan is twice per week.  That was really cool, a little more purposeful, and a little more in line with my goals of working with graduates, as the girls are in their mid-teens, even though I'm not really super-excited about teaching English, doing it in a more one-on-one setting is a lot easier and more rewarding I think.  We'll see how it goes.  :)

This week I also recorded a series of songs for my buddy Kel Fowler...putting music to his poems from his upcoming book Verses for the King.  (http://www.lunch.lt/)  So I'll be sure to share those when he lets me share them.  I also achieved, although not all in the same week, time-scheduling nirvana, wherein I got enough sleep, updated my weekly blogs/youtube, and enjoyed a really good Sabbath.  So keep praying, I'm finding my feet!  :)

Specific requests:  1)I'm gonna try to set up a weekly visit to a family-style orphanage outside of Bishkek this week.  :)  2)Discipline strategies with students who still aren't doing homework.  3)Chances to speak into the lives of my students.  4)Youth group?  I've been on part of the leadership team for a while, and while it feels like they could really use my experience and abilities, the group hasn't really expressed interest in doing so, and considering everything else I'm doing, I'm praying this week over whether I should be in or out on that, or perhaps half-out, as in attending meetings but not being a part of the committee.  All the other churches in town want me...*shrug*  :)